NHRA tech question

[AlanCasida]

Since I have a roll cage in my car and am using the stock seats ('65 Mustang) do I need to have some sort of a head rest/restraint attached to my cage? I doubt I will be running anything better than low 11s. I'd hate to show up at DW and be dq'ed because of that.

[thatdarncat]

Since I have a roll cage in my car and am using the stock seats ('65 Mustang) do I need to have some sort of a head rest/restraint attached to my cage? I doubt I will be running anything better than low 11s. I'd hate to show up at DW and be dq'ed because of that.

Yes. For cars with either a roll bar or a roll cage, a padded head protector is required. A seat that has a reinforced head rest is ok, but of course a stock '65 Mustang seat doesn't meet that requirement. Covered in the General Regulations "Section 10: Driver" of the NHRA rule book, in part "10:6 Head Protector".

I don't know if it applies to your car or not, but the seat is also supposed to be supported and attached to the Roll Bar/Roll Cage/Cross support, although I have seen some cars pass tech without that, but seems like it is being enforced more. That is covered in "Section 6: Interior", in part "6:2 Upholstery, Seats".

[AlanCasida]

Since I have a roll cage in my car and am using the stock seats ('65 Mustang) do I need to have some sort of a head rest/restraint attached to my cage? I doubt I will be running anything better than low 11s. I'd hate to show up at DW and be dq'ed because of that.

Yes. For cars with either a roll bar or a roll cage, a padded head protector is required. A seat that has a reinforced head rest is ok, but of course a stock '65 Mustang seat doesn't meet that requirement. Covered in "Section 10: Driver" of the NHRA rule book, in part "10:6 Head Protector".

I don't know if it applies to your car or not, but the seat is also supposed to be supported and attached to the Roll Bar/Roll Cage/Cross support, although I have seen some cars pass tech without that, but seems like it is being enforced more. That is covered in "Section 6: Interior", in part "6:2 Upholstery, Seats".

Thanks Kevin. Rats...I guess the best(quickest) thing for me to do is get a racing seat. The headrest wouldn't be too big a deal but I am not sure how I would go about attaching my stock seat to my cage.

[BattlestarGalactic]

As long as it is braced, I don't see a problem.  Even my plastic seat had to be braced against the rear bar of cage.  They do make seats that don't need the brace, but typical plastic seat does.   I just make a plate that seat rests on, not bolted to, that is welded to rear bar.  They just don't want the seat to break off backwards from the floor.

You could just weld a tube hanging from hoop, that has a headrest on it?  I've seen one like that before for a low stock seat. 

[AlanCasida]

As long as it is braced, I don't see a problem.  Even my plastic seat had to be braced against the rear bar of cage.  They do make seats that don't need the brace, but typical plastic seat does.   I just make a plate that seat rests on, not bolted to, that is welded to rear bar.  They just don't want the seat to break off backwards from the floor.

You could just weld a tube hanging from hoop, that has a headrest on it?  I've seen one like that before for a low stock seat.

I think that's what I'll do. It shouldn't be too big a deal. The worst thing is I'll have to do some welding with all the interior in the car. I am going to look around and see if I can find some welding blankets.   

[jayb]

That's what I did with my Galaxie.  I was able to weld some brackets on a separate tube and bolt the tube vertically, through the roll bar hoop and the seat brace.  Then I bought one of those steering wheel pads and attached it to the vertical tube, where the back of my helmet would rest.  Since the tube unbolts it doesn't really get in the way during normal driving, and no tech inspector has ever questioned it.

[AlanCasida]

That's what I did with my Galaxie.  I was able to weld some brackets on a separate tube and bolt the tube vertically, through the roll bar hoop and the seat brace.  Then I bought one of those steering wheel pads and attached it to the vertical tube, where the back of my helmet would rest.  Since the tube unbolts it doesn't really get in the way during normal driving, and no tech inspector has ever questioned it.

That's a good idea. That would keep me from having to weld inside the car.  I wasn't sure if NHRA tech would allow holes drilled in the roll bar.

[cammerfe]

Actually, they shouldn't. A hole in tubing weakens it considerably. The right thing to do is to drill the hole enough larger to take another tube that has the ID you want there. Slip the smaller tube through the hole in the roll bar and weld top and bottom. Now you have a hole without lessening the strength of your roll bar. My ECTA class requires a 'funny-car' enclosure around the driver. I'm having one made up to bolt-in but where it fastens to the roll-cage tubing, the attachment points will be 'tubed' in that way.

KS

[AlanCasida]

Actually, they shouldn't. A hole in tubing weakens it considerably. The right thing to do is to drill the hole enough larger to take another tube that has the ID you want there. Slip the smaller tube through the hole in the roll bar and weld top and bottom. Now you have a hole without lessening the strength of your roll bar. My ECTA class requires a 'funny-car' enclosure around the driver. I'm having one made up to bolt-in but where it fastens to the roll-cage tubing, the attachment points will be 'tubed' in that way.

KS

I think I may have misunderstood Jay about drilling holes in my roll bar. He doesn't really say that. I think I need to make a bracket that clamps around the roll bar.

[jayb]

I've always drilled holes in mine, for mounting the shoulder harness, that head support I mentioned, etc.  Swing out side bars always have holes drilled through them.  I agree with Ken that tubing that hole would make it stronger, but I've never been flagged for just drilling a hole, and I've had to have the chassis on three of my cars inspected by the local NHRA roll cage inspector, for the sticker to go 8.50.  I think if you are in a time crunch, just drilling the hole is OK.

When I made my support I used some larger OD tubing that fit around the tubing in the roll bar, and cut it in half so that it would slip over the roll bar tubing.  I welded the vertical tube to two of those "half moon" supports, then bolted through the supports and the roll cage tubing to secure it.

[wowens]

Come to middle Ga. We don't use no stinking roll bar. Seriously, in Twiggs County, 1/8 mile, I have seen idiots go 5.50s @ close to 130mph with no bars. The local 1/4 mile track is much tighter on safety.